Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Has anyone set up artificial cover for zonata before? I live in the San Bernardino Mtns and I have some rock outcrops in my yard but I've yet to find any snakes at all in, on, or around them. I've caught zonata, gophers, helleri, and ringnecks 100 yards away on someone elses property so I know snakes are in the area. I found some large pieces of tin and wanted to set them up in my yard in hopes of attracting some snakes. Anyone have any suggestions as to the best way to set them up? Should I stack them up? Lay them flat? Next to the rocks or away from the rocks? Dig them in or cover them over with pine needles? Direct sun? Filtered sun? If anyone has had success with this I'd like to hear about it.

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Boneyardreptiles.com

Yes peiople have had success with setting up boards and finding zonata. I would pick a place near a bush with rocks that is in the shade. I know Hubbs set up boards in the forest and found Z's.
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If you've found them without A/C, why would you want to add it? Just curious is all.
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Jerry Kruse

And God said, "Let there be zonata subspecies for all to ponder..."

The whole idea of the AC is to put it on MY property so I don't have to go on other peoples property to find them. There won't be a house in sight when I flippin rocks and someone will show up out of no where with "what are ya doin on my property.
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Boneyardreptiles.com

Here in S.E. Florida folded carpet is the BEST set of all. When you place carpet and fold it as many times as the piece allows it enables the snake to choose the temp it wants to be at. This method is far MORE successful than boards etc here. I don't know why it wouldn't work there as well. We place them oftime around rock piles near canals with great success. Normally just a lurker but couldn't resist.....Carpets folded provide great "RETES STACKS"...LOL
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

It is an honor to have you. As you know this place can have a lot of egos and infighting. But post something anyway, will ya.
I know that lots of people would learn so much from you. Including me!

Anyways the carpet is a great idea. I was thinking about the sierras and not San Bernardino when i mentioned boards to the OP. I found coastal mtn kings(z.multfasciata) under trash and carpet in the Santa Cruz moutains. But that is becuae there is very little habitat to easily access. The S.B have lots of natural habitat that is very easy access. So I guess it is about recognizing what this habitat (rocks, elevation, west/north facing slopes, water, canyons, bushes ect)looks like in the San Bernardios and it will be easy to find them.

Tom, I hope you post more often, even though it may not be your style to get into the whole "keyboard warrior" thing. So many brave people when they post on the internet. But meet them in person, and LOLOL!
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You gonna be at the Anaheim show? I'll leave my brooksi photos out this time.
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Jerry Kruse

And God said, "Let there be zonata subspecies for all to ponder..."

Duhh , ya you know, dangling a nice Florida king in front of me is like rolling a ball to0 a baby. I can;t concentrate on anything else.

No I woun't be at Anaheim this year. I am waiting to see how the economy effects spending on herps before i make a commitment to going.
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www.Bluerosy.com

I've found many snakes in rugs on the east coast but have yet to find any in rugs on the west coast. If I find some old rugs I'll put them out there too and see what happens.
Thanks
Karl
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Boneyardreptiles.com

I wandered mistakenly right into someone's backyard once (no fence, I was looking at the ground..) and found some corrugated tin laying on the ground about 10 yards from any visible small rocks, and much farther from any big rock piles. I didn't look under it because the owner's dog was yelping at me and I didn't want to be that guy snooping in their yard. Plus, at the time I thought the zonata were in the rocks only.

So later that day, I see a guy looking for snakes, he goes right to that yard (dog barking) and that tin, and he finds a parv right there plus a rubber boa. He pulled them out, came and showed me, then returned to the tin and put them back.

Obviously this guy knew of this tin pile, and it must have produced for him before.

It was in filtered sun, just on the ground. No rocks around it. There were some scattered pine needles and oak leaves on it, many leaves all around it. While I didn't see any rodent burrows around it, the leaf litter was substantial in that area. And as stated, no rocks right next to it.
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Mark

Thanks for the info.
Do you live in the San B Mtns?
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Boneyardreptiles.com

>>Thanks for the info.
>>Do you live in the San B Mtns?
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No, I live in Los Angeles. Wish I was closer to those mtns. There is some fantastic habitat to be encountered. As you probably know, even the areas that do not look "textbook" probably still support some zonata, at least at certain times of the year. AC may help in that case. Good luck with the hunt.
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Mark